2 Samuel 2:13-32

13And 1Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met 2them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, 3Abner’s men on the one side of the pool and 4Joab’s men on the other side of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Now have the young men arise and 5hold a martial skills match in our presence.” And Joab said, “Have them arise!” 15So they got up and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16And each one of them seized his 6opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his 7opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called 8Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17That day the battle was very severe, and 9Abner and the men of Israel were defeated 10by the servants of David.

18Now 11the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was 12as 13swift-footed as one of the gazelles that is in the field. 19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn 14to the right or to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind himself and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he said, “It is I!” 21So Abner said to him, “Turn aside for your own good to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his equipment.” But Asahel was unwilling to turn aside from following him. 22Then Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside for your own good from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? 15How then could I 16show my face to your brother Joab?” 23However, he refused to turn aside; so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came thereafter to the place where 17Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah by way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25And the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and they stood on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Should the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that it will be bitter in the end? So how long will you 18refrain from telling the people to turn back from pursuing their kinsmen?” 27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, then the people of Judah certainly would have withdrawn in the morning, each from pursuing his brother.” 28So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people halted and no longer pursued Israel, 19nor did they continue to fight anymore. 29Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to 20Mahanaim.

30Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner; but he gathered all the people together, and 21nineteen of David’s servants were missing, besides Asahel. 31However, the servants of David had struck and killed many of Benjamin and Abner’s men; 360 men were dead. 32And they carried Asahel away and buried him 22in his father’s tomb, which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men traveled all night until the day 23dawned at Hebron.